The Changing Landmarks of Freemasonry

Masonic landmarks are a set of principles that many Freemasons claim to be ancient and unchangeable precepts of Masonry. Issues of the “regularity” of a Freemasonic Lodge, Grand Lodge or Grand Orient are judged in the context of the landmarks. Because each Grand Lodge is self-governing, with no single body exercising authority over the whole of Freemasonry, the interpretations of these principles can and do vary, leading to controversies of recognition. Different Masonic jurisdictions have different landmarks.

The idea of an Ancient Landmark seems to refer to the Bible. In the Book of Proverbs, it states “Remove not the ancient landmark which thy fathers have set.” There are also precedents in Jewish law that state “Thou shall not remove thy neighbours’ landmark, which they of old time have set in your inheritance.” In either case, it refers to an area of land that may have stone markers used to define the property. Relating it to Freemasonry, the landmarks define the due bounds of a lodge, Grand Lodge or Grand Orient.

In 1723, in Anderson’s Constitutions it was stated that “Every Annual Grand Lodge has an inherent power and authority to make new Regulations or to alter these, for the real benefits of this Ancient Fraternity; provided always that the old Land-Marks be carefully preserved.” In the original book, it did not list the Landmarks.

In 1856, Albert Mackey defined what he thought were the 25 ancient landmarks. He also specified traits that any and all landmarks should possess.

1. The fraternal modes of recognition
2. The division of Masonry into 3 symbolic degrees
3. The symbolic legend of Hiram Abiff
4. The government of the fraternity by a Grand Master
5. The prerogative of the Grand Master to preside over every assembly of the craft
6. The prerogative of the Grand Master to issue dispensations for conferring degrees at irregular times
7. The prerogative of the Grand Master to issue dispensations for opening and holding Lodges otherwise not established
8. The prerogative of the Grand Master to make Masons at Sight
9. The necessity for Masons to congregate in Lodges
10. The government of Lodges to be by a Master and two Wardens
11. The necessity that every Lodge when congregated be duly tiled
12. The right of every Mason to be represented in all general meetings of the Craft
13. The right of every Mason to appeal from his Lodge’s decisions to the Grand Lodge
14. The right of every Mason to sit in every regular Lodge
15. That no unknown visitor be allowed to sit in Lodge without being examined and found to be a Freemason
16. That no Lodge can interfere in the business of another Lodge
17. That every Freemason be amenable to the laws and regulations of the jurisdiction in which he resides
18. That candidates for Freemasonry be required to meet certain qualifications; namely: being of mature age, not a cripple, and free-born.
19. That a belief in the existence of God be a requirement for membership
20. That belief in a resurrection to a future life be a requirement for membership
21. That a “Book of the Law” shall constitute an indispensable part of the furniture of every Lodge
22. The equality of Masons
23. The secrecy of the Institution
24. The foundation of a speculative science upon an operative art, and the symbolic use and explanation of the terms of that art for purposes of moral teaching
25. That none of these landmarks can be changed.

In 1911, understanding Mackey’s 25 points to be a summary of Masonic “common law”, the legal scholar Roscoe Pound (1870-1964) distinguished seven of them as actual landmarks:

1. Belief in a Supreme Being
2. Belief in immortality
3. That a “book of sacred law” is an indispensable part of the “furniture” (or furnishings) of the Lodge
4. The legend of the Third Degree
5. Secrecy (not specifying as to what)
6. Symbolism of operative masonry
7. That a Mason must be a man, freeborn, and of lawful age

Although Pound, did not include cripples (handicapped people) as unsuitable candidates for Freemasonry, he still refers to being born free as a prerequisite.  So, according to Pound and our Rituals if one is born from enslaved parents he can not become a Mason. We should not forget that many of our founding fathers were slaveholders or had a financial interest in the slave industry.  Some justify nowadays the word freeborn in our Ritual as being free from dogma and or preconceptions.  That is however NOT what our ancient Brethren had in mind.  We are all enslaved if only economically. Freemasonry however gives us the tools to set ourselves free from dogma and preconceptions.  This is a freedom to acquire – not one you necessarily enter the Lodge with.

In a lecture, I found on freemasonrymatters.uk (author unknown) the following Landmarks were suggested for use by Modern Day Masonry:

1. The modes of recognition
2. The division of Symbolic Masonry into three degrees including the legend of the third degree.
3. Masonry’s membership is composed exclusively of men of lawful age and of good report.
4. The belief in a Supreme Being (the nature of Deity being left to the determination of the individual Brother)
5. A belief in a persistence of personality (the nature of the persistence of personality being left to the determination of the individual Brother)
6. A Volume of Sacred Law is an indispensable part of the lodge’s furniture (the Volume(s) of Sacred Law constituting the lodge’s furniture may reflect the faith of the individual Brethren)
7. The equality of all Freemasons
8. The secrecy of the institution
9. The foundation of a speculative science on an operative art

Changes can be uncomfortable to many of us. This is not a problem with the Masonic Fraternity only, it is human nature to dislike change. It becomes uncomfortable to think that things are no longer going to “be the same.” Still, if it were not for innovative individuals within the history of Freemasonry, we might not be here to object to Innovations.